How to Type Accents

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You have a few options to be able to type accents.

If one way doesn't work for you, scroll down to try another!

Option 1 for a PC

On a Windows PC the accented letters may be typed in
by using a combination of the ALT key and a number
code. Hold the ALT key down while typing in the code.
The number code must be typed using the keypad not
the top row of the keyboard. The following chart shows
the number code for the accented letter. Codes for
capital letters have been included although these are
commonly left unaccented.
ACCENT CODES FOR A WINDOWS PC
à 133
À 0192
â 131
 0194
ä 132
Ä 142
ç 135
Ç 128
é 130
É 144
è 138
È 0200
ê 136
Ê 0202
ë 137
Ë 0203
î 140
Î 0206
ï 139
Ï 0207
ô 147
Ô 0212
ù 151
Ù 0217
û 150
Û 0219
ü 129
Ü 154

Option 1 for a Mac

If you are using a Macintosh computer you also have
access to the accented letters. With a Mac, you must
use the Option key in conjunction with a two letter
sequence. Hold the Option key down while typing the
first letter of the sequence, then release the option key
before typing the second letter. The exception to this is
the cédilla (ç) which only requires holding the option key
while typing the letter c. The following table lists the
codes for the accented letters.
ACCENT CODES FOR MACINTOSH COMPUTERS
á = e + a
à = ` + a
â = i + a
ä = u + a
ç = c
é = e + e
è = ` + e
ê = i + e
ë = u + e
î = i + i
ï = u + i
ô = i + o
oe = q
ù = ` + u
û = i + u ü = u + u

Option 2 for a PC (Windows)

Typing French Accents - Windows: International Keyboard

For US English keyboard users, the international keyboard (which is not a physical keyboard, but rather a simple Control Panel setting) is the easiest and most convenient method for typing French accents because it maintains the QWERTY layout, with just a few changes and additions:
  • To type accent grave (à, è, etc), type ` (to the left of 1) then the vowel.
  • Accent aigu (é), type ' (single quote) then e.
  • Cédille (ç), type ' then c.
  • Circonflexe (ê), type ^ (shift + 6) then e.
  • Tréma (ö), type " (shift + ') then o.
  • To type French quotation marks « » use ctrl + alt + [ and ], respectively.

Note: The minor disadvantage of the international keyboard is that when you want to type the "helping" character (e.g., single or double quotes) by itself rather than above a vowel, you have to type the symbol then hit the space bar. For example, to type c'est, type c then ' then hit the spacebar then type e s t. It takes a little while to get used to typing that extra space when you just want to type ' or "

Troubleshooting the international keyboard
If you are plagued by strangeness such as cést when you try to type c'est, re-read the note above.

In order to use the international keyboard to type French accents, you need to select that keyboard layout. (SEE BELOW!)

Typing French Accents - Windows: Selecting a keyboard layout

In order to use one of these alternate keyboard layouts, you need to add it to Windows. Once you've done this, you can either set it as your default keyboard, or use alt plus shift to toggle between two or more layouts. The way to do this is slightly different for each operating system.

Windows 7
  1. Open your Control Panel
  2. Under "Clock, Language, and Region," click "Change keyboards or other input methods"
  3. Click "Change keyboards"
  4. Click Add
  5. Scroll down to the language you want to add, click + next to it, then select the layout*
  6. Click OK in each dialog window.
  7. To use the layout, click the language input button on the taskbar (it probably says EN) and select it.
Windows Vista
  1. Open your Control Panel
  2. If in Classic View, click "Control Panel Home" in upper-left corner
  3. Under "Clock, Language, and Region," click "Change keyboards or other input methods"
  4. Click "Change keyboards"
  5. Click "Add"
  6. Scroll down to the layout you want to add*
  7. If you don't see a list including the keyboard you want, click + to expand
  8. Choose your layout
  9. Click OK in each dialog window.
Windows XP
  1. Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
  2. Double-click "Regional and Language Options"
  3. Click "Languages"
  4. Click "Details"
  5. Click "Add"
  6. Under "Input Language" pick the language you want to add*
  7. Under "Keyboard layout/IME" make your selection
  8. Click OK in each dialog window.
Windows 95, 98, ME, NT
  1. Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
  2. Double-click "Keyboard"
  3. Click "Language"
  4. Click "Properties," "Settings," or "Details" (whichever you see)
  5. Click "Add"
  6. Pick the layout you want to add*
  7. Click OK in each dialog window.
Windows 2000
  1. Open your Control Panel (via Start menu or My Computer)
  2. Double-click "Keyboard"
  3. Click "Input Locales"
  4. Click "Change"
  5. Click "Add"
  6. Pick the layout you want to add*
  7. Click OK in each dialog window

Option 3 for a PC (Windows)

You can also make use of Character Map in order to insert characters in Windows-based programs.
You can open Character Map by clicking Start, pointing to Programs, pointing to Accessories, pointing to System Tools, and then clicking Character Map.

Option 4 for a PC (Windows)

Another very easy option is to use a free online facility called TypeIt (http://french.typeit.org/). Simply edit your text in the box and then copy it to your document, e-mail message, etc.